Monroe County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Albia
No data center or power plant project is on record in Monroe County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Monroe County is home to Albia. Construction employs 140, down 28.6% since 2019. Its power plants have 40 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. MidAmerican Energy Co is the largest utility serving Monroe County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.01¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Monroe County
Monroe County is home to Albia.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Monroe County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,600 | 7,406 | ▼ 2.6% | 87th of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,561 | 3,569 | ▲ 0.2% | 39th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $50,639 | $71,069 | ▲ 40.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 196 | 140 | ▼ 28.6% | 79th of 81 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 3.5% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 3,569 jobs in 2025, up 0.2% from 2019. 7,406 people live here, down 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Monroe County
Utilities with service territory in Monroe County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MidAmerican Energy Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 632,436 | 11.01¢ | 18% |
| Interstate Power and Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 417,153 | 17.90¢ | 29% |
| Chariton Valley Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 40 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cargill Corn Milling Division | Cargill Inc North America Sweetners | Natural gas | 40 MW | 1952 |
The Monroe County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,569 | $71,069 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 140 | $69,566 | 0.74 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Monroe County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Monroe County. Iowa has 31 local measures on record statewide.
Monroe County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Monroe County, Wapello County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 7,406 | ▲ 0.2% | 40 MW | — | — | — |
| Appanoose County | 12,077 | ▲ 1.5% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Davis County | 9,230 | ▼ 3.0% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Lucas County | 8,847 | ▼ 12.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Mahaska County | 21,880 | ▲ 2.0% | 168 MW | — | — | — |
| Marion County | 34,192 | ▲ 8.4% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Wapello County | 35,210 | ▼ 5.3% | 729 MW | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 6,738 | ▲ 7.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Iowa
Monroe County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Monroe County, Iowa?
3 utilities have service territory in Monroe County in the EIA-861 2024 report: MidAmerican Energy Co, Interstate Power and Light Co, Chariton Valley Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, MidAmerican Energy Co, charged residential customers 11.01¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Monroe County?
1 operating plant with 40 MW of capacity. The largest is Cargill Corn Milling Division (40 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Monroe County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Monroe County.
Is Monroe County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,569 jobs in 2025 against 3,561 in 2019 (+0.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 196 to 140.
Does Monroe County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Monroe County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.